Clocks



CLOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1956 INVENTOR. HENRY C. JAMES JR.

Sept. 17, 1957 H. c. JAMES, JR

CLOCKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1956 la 15 F 1 J I 6 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. HENRY C. JAMES JR.

Uni ed Sta s Pat Cfiicc CLOCKS Henry C. James, Jr., Oakland, Calif.

Application April 5, 1956, Serial No. 576,391

2 Claims. (Cl. 200-38) This invention relates to clocks, and especially to that type known as alarm, reminder, program and electric circuit closing clocks the present invention being an improvement on my former Patent No. 2,098,965 entitled Clock, issued Nov. 16, 1937.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of electric circuit closing clocks; to provide a carrier adapted to rotate in unison with the hour arbor of the clock, said carrier forming a support for a switch or contacts through which an electric circuit may be opened or closed at any time interval during a twelve hour period; to provide a plurality of adjustable actuators which are adapted to be swung into or out of the path of travel of the switch contacts, so that a series of electric circuits may be closed or broken at selected time intervals; and further to provide means whereby a snap action is imparted to the electric circuit closing contacts, both during the closing and breaking of a circuit.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of the clock.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear view of a portion of the clock showing the rotary carrier and the snap action switch mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front view of a portion of the clock dial and the alarm dial.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the clock partially broken away and partially in section.

Fig. 5 is a central, vertical cross section.

Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the open and closed position of the snap action contacts or switch, and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the actuators.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Figs. 1 and 5, A indicates a clock housing or casing of suitable design in which is mounted the main frame of a clock. The frame consists of three plates, indicated at 2, 3 and 4, which are spaced apart by posts 5 and 6. Secured to the rear face of plate 2 is a synchronous electric alternating current motor 7 and driven thereby is the usual gear train 8, which drives the arbors 9, 10 and 11, carrying the second hand 12, the minute hand 13, and the hour hand 14. Secured to the hour hand arbor 9 and insulated therefrom is a carrier on which is secured a pair of collector rings 16 and 17, see Figs. 2 and 4, and delivering current to said rings are brushes 18 and 19, which are connected to a suitable source of electric alternating current supply through wires 18 and 19 These wires may be connected direct with a 110 volt pow-er circuit, or the like, or the current may be stepped down through a transformer 20, and a buzzer or other signal or alarm device may be placed in the circuit as indicated at 21.

Also secured to the carrier are a pair of arms 16 and 17-. Arm 16 is connected to the collector ring 16 and arm 17 to the collector ring 17. The arms are insulated from each other and the arm 17 carries a flexible arm 22, a cam 24, and a contact 23. Arms 16"" carries a flexible arm 25, a cam 26, and a contact 27, through which the alarm or signal circuit is closed when the arm 22 is depressed by cam 24.

In order that the circuit through the contact 23 and 27 may be closed to sound an alarm, etc. at selected time intervals, means are provided for rotating the carrier which supports the switch, said means being in this instance, the hour hand arbor 9 to which the carrier is secured and means must be placed in the path of travel of the cams 24 and 26 to engage and depress them so as to bring the contacts 23 and 27 into engagement with each other. The means employed are the crank pins generally indicated at C, see Figs. 5 and 8. There are 48 of them and they are journaled between the frame plates 3 and 4.

The journal sections of each pin is indicated at 28 and 29,

to be referred to as the alarm or timing dial is secured to the outer face of the clock housing, and surrounds the clock dial D. The dial B has a plurality of arcuate slots formed therein through which the handle ends 31 of the cranks extend a sufficient distance to permit them to be grasped whenever a crank is to be adjusted. These cranks will hereinafter be referred to as actuators. They are arranged in a circle concentric to the path of travel of the cams 26 and 24, and normally assume a position out of contact with the cams, but by grasping one or another of the handle sections 31 and swinging them toward the inner ends of the arcuate slots the crank or cranks connected therewith will similarly swing inwardly as shown at 23 in Fig. 2. In this position the cams will engage the crank 'or cranks and as such will be depressed sufliciently to cause the contacts 23 and 27 to engage and close a circuit.

When engagement is made between the cams and any of the cranks swung into the path of travel of the cams, there would be a tendency for the crank or cranks to swing out of the way, and if that were the case, no alarm or signal would be given as the flexible arms would not be depressed; hence, means must be provided for securing the cranks against rotation when engaged by the cams.

This is accomplished in the present instance by winding a comparatively stiff, flat leaf spring 40 between the inner projecting ends 29 of the crank pins, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This flat spring exerts such a friction on the crank pins that when they are engaged by the cams there is no chance of displacing or changing their position as they are frictionally held and swing inwardly into the path of travel of the cams.

When the crank handles 31 are moved or swung to the outer ends of the arcuate slots, as shown at 30- in Fig. 3, the cranks 30 will assume the position indicated at 30 in Fig. 2, and the cams 24 and 26 will travel free as no engagement is made with the cranks. Conversely, if the crank handle is swung toward the inner end of a slot as shown at 30 in Fig. 3 the corresponding crank will assume the position shown at 34 in Fig. 2. In that case the cams will be engaged by the crank and the flexible arms will be depressed sufficiently to close a circuit through the contacts 23 and 27.

In view of the fact that the carrier 15 is mounted on and secured to the hour hand arbor of the clock its speed of rotation will be only one revolution in twelve hours, and that in turn will mean that the contacts 23 and 27 will approach and separate from each other so slowly that arching, burning and pitting of the contacts would take place. In this instance each of the contact carrying arms are flexible and each is provided with a cam, the arm 22 with a cam 24, and the arm 25 with a cam 26. It should be noted that the cam 26, see Figs. 6 and 7 is Patented Sept.- 17, 1957,

positioned a little ahead of the cam 24 and as such is the first to be engaged by an actuator or in other words, one of the cranks 30, and when so engaged, the only thing which happens is that the flexible arm 25 is depressed, and if anything the contacts 23 and 27 tend to separate, but as the carrier continues rotating cam 26 will finally reach the point where the crank passes or leaves the end 26 of the cam and instantly engages and depresses the cam 24, thus closing the circuit through the contacts 23 and 27 with a snap or instantaneous action, and when the end 24 of cam 24 rides free of the crank 30 the contacts will again instantly snap apart, hence, a snap action is insured both when making and breaking a circuit.

The dial containing the arcuate slots and the protruding handles 31 is graduated into hours and fifteen minute intervals, said graduat-ions being arranged in a circle concentric to the clock dial and being indicated at 45, see Figs. 1 and 3. Graduations are also arranged lengthwise of the arcuate slots as shown at 46. These graduations indicate five minute intervals, but, nevertheless permit setting of the handles at any point between the ends of the arcuate slots, hence, making it possible to accurately set an alarm for any five minute period, but by setting the handles at points intermediate the five minute graduations, it is possible to set an alarm for any minute indicated on the clock dial. Most Radio programs last fifteen minutes, hence, the length of the cam 24 is such, that it will maintain a circuit closed for fifteen minutes; again it happens now and then that a program may last half an hour or more, and if that is the case, two or more of the actuators are depressed, in other words, the length of the cam 24 is such, that if two or more actuators are depressed, before the cam leaves one actuator the following actuator is just contacting thus maintaining the circuit as long as desired.

A timing or alarm device of this character has almost unlimited use, for instance in laboratories whether they be chemical, industrial, dental, medical or clinical. The timing device is almost indispensible when oil refineries, tire companies, vulcanizing shops and the like are considered, and in the home it may be employed to remind the housewife when a roast is to be basted, and similar uses, also it is ideal for turning on a radio, record-players, tape recorders etc., the clock being provided with an outlet 48 for turning on or off electrical apparatus of many kinds and to permit ready connection therewith.

The carrier itself is made of fibre or a similar nonconducting material, and so are the cams 24 and 26. All current carrying parts are thus insulated from the rest of the clock mechanism, and as such permits the use of a current directly from 110 volt power circuit without any danger to a person operating the clock, furthermore, due to the snap action of the circuit making and breaking contact long life and dependability is insured.

In the operation of the clock shown 'in my former patent heretofore referred, I found that bending and flexing of the spring steel :arm carrying one of the current closing contacts would in time cause suflicient metal fatigue to make it necessary to frequently readjust the contacts. In the structure shown in this application, this defect has been overcome by providing the wire link indicated at 49. This link has a loop 50 formed at its lower end which straddles a pin on the carrier; the upper end of the link being bent at right angles is connected to the side Wall of cam 26. The link as a whole limits outward movement of the flexible arms 22 and 25, but due to the loop 50 permits free inward movement of the arms when the cams are engaged by an actuator or crank 30, also the link permits the arms to be held in their outermost position under a tension more than sufiicient to overcome any metal fatigue that could develop during the useful life of the clock and the timing mechanism actuated thereby.

Having thus described my invention what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a clock mechanism, a carrier adapted to be rotated by the clock mechanism, a pair of collector rings on the carrier and insulated therefrom, a pair of brushes engaging the collector rings, said brushes being connected with a source of electric current supply, a pair of flexible arms, one connected to one collector ring and the other arm to the other ring, a circuit closing contact on each arm, said contacts being normally separated, a first cam secured on one arm, a second cam secured on the other arm and extending beyond the first cam, a plurality of actuators arranged in a circle and normally out of the path of travel of the cams, and means on each actuator for moving it into the path of travel of the cams and when in said position being stationary while the cams are moving with relation thereto, said first named cam engaging an actuator first and causing separation of the flexible arms and the contacts, said cam when released by the actuator causing the actuator to engage and depress the second cam to close the contacts with a snap action, and said second cam when released by the actuators causing instant separation of the contacts with a snap-like action.

2. In a combination with a clock mechanism, a carrier adapted to be rotated by the clock mechanism, a pair of collector rings on the carrier and insulated therefrom, a pair of brushes engaging the collector rings, said brushes being connected with a source of electric current supply, a pair of flexible arms, one connected to one collector ring and the other arm to the other ring, a circuit closing contact on each arm, said contacts being normally separated, a first cam secured on one arm, a second cam secured on the other arm and extending beyond the first cam, a plurality of actuators arranged in a circle and normally out of the path of travel of the cams, and means on each actuator for moving it into the path of travel of the cams and when in said position being stationary while the cams are moving with relation thereto, said first named cam engaging an actuator first and causing separation of the flexible arms and thecontacts, said cam when released by the actuator causing the actuator to engage and depress the second cam to close the contact with a snap action, and said second cam when released by the actuator causing instant separation of the contacts with a snap-like action, and means limiting outward movement of the first named cam and its flexible arm when released by an actuator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,695,488 Harrison Dec. 18, 1928 2,098,965 James' Nov. 16, 1937 2,481,141 Morrison Sept. 6, 1949 2,648,234 Lester Aug. 11, 1953 

